Angels on the Hellmouth Rewrite
by Knife Hand
Summary: Everyone knows the Hellmouth is the playground for Vampires and Demons, but no one realised that there were a couple of real life Angels running around as well. Not even the Angels themselves. Chapter 2 up
1. Chapter 1

Title: Angels on the Hellmouth Rewrite

Author: Knife Hand

Feedback: Constructive feedback appreciated, flames unappreciated

Spoilers: Fifth Series of Buffy, None for Dogma

Rating: R

Disclaimer: I do not own Buffy or Dogma. I would buy them but I am broke.

Summary: Everyone knows the Hellmouth is the playground for Vampires and Demons, but no one realised that there were a couple of real life Angels running around as well. Not even the Angels themselves.

A/N: This is a complete rewrite of my story 'Angels on the Hellmouth' from back in 2002. The original version is still available on . For this version, however, I have completely gone back to the concept behind the story and will most likely be quite different from the original version, my improved writing abilities notwithstanding.

* * *

Tara was confused as she looked around the astounding city, and frankly she was getting sick and tired of being so confused. Honestly, several months of babbling incoherently thanks to the pesky fingers of a Hell Goddess was bad enough, but in the three weeks since Willow had restored her mind, and they had lost Buffy, she had been having strange sensations and fragments of memories that mad absolutely no sense. Now she was here, in what seemed to be part dream and part memory, but no memory that she had ever lived.

The city she was looking at was made up of impossible spires and arches, and things she could not even describe, all viewed from a small walled garden high in the city, with the outer wall not even waist high so that she could see the sweeping vista. She was dressed in a long flowing off white dress, and her hair was hanging in almost perfect ringlets around her shoulders, rather than the long straight stands she usually had. A cold wind blew through the garden, a rare event here, and she shivered, pulling her wings close around her to block the wind.

A part of Tara's mind, the part that was a shy Wiccan in love with Willow, marvelled at the concept of even having wings, but the majority of her, the part that was from the memory, knew nothing else. At the sound of footfalls behind her, she turned and saw him. The memory version of her smiled as her heart swelled just seeing him. he was tall, but just tall enough that she fit comfortably into his arms, with dark hair and deep brown eyes that she could fall into forever. He was dressed in a longish tunic and leather pants with his wings held behind his back.

'Xander' Tara thought.

"Alex." Her memory-self said.

She stood quickly, with a grace that Wiccan Tara had never possessed, and quickly crossed to him and embraced him. Gazing up into his face, she ran a slender hand down his cheek. Usually he smiled but today he had a grim expression.

"What's the matter?" she asked.

"It's the Morningstar." He said gravely.

"What did Lucifer do this time?" she asked.

Lucifer was one of the most respected of the Archangels, but he had a dramatic side that often got him into trouble.

"He tried to claim the Throne." Alex said. "He is in open Rebellion to the Creator."

"Oh no." Tara replied, in total shock. "How are the others taking it?"

"There's a massive split. Some are declaring for Lucifer. Some, centred around Michael and Metatron, are denouncing Lucifer and his followers as traitors. A few are sitting on the fence." Alex replied.

"What about us?" Tara asked.

"I can't go against the Creator. You know how I am." Alex replied.

"And I, of course, will stand with you." Tara said without hesitation.

At that Alex wrapped Tara up in a hug, encircling her warmly with his wings.

In the nature of dreams, the world dissolved around Tara and then seamlessly reformed itself into another scene. She was now standing on an open grass plain, the immediate area around her covered in temporary shelters, similar but different to modern tents. Alex was standing by her side. He was always by her side, just as she was always by his. Apart from their clothing, they were almost identical to how they had appeared back in the city-top garden, but a part of her was telling her that centuries, of not millennia, had past from that peaceful day to this turbulent one.

Gone were the simple dress and the plain tunic and pants. Tara still wore a dress, but this one was dark grey and designed for combat. The top of the dress, to the waist, was snugly form fitting, with long sleaves, while the skirt had a long slit up the right side to about two inches below the hip and the rest of the skirt had a multitude of small pleats, that could expand enough not to interfere with her footwork in ground combat. Then there was the armour. Under the skirt she had shin guards of hardened leather and metal that extended from her ankle to her knees. She had a small breastplate that covered the upper portion of her chest but did not restrict movement, her agility still being of more protection to her than the metal. Her left forearm had a hard, leather bracer that was designed as much to contain the powerful compression of her bow as it was to deflect the strikes of enemies. Her right forearm did not have any extra protection but on that hand she wore a glove that had full fingers for the pointer and index fingers but were fingerless for the rest of the hand. At her right hip hung a quiver of arrows while her left hip supported a thin, flexible rapier-style sword. She held her powerful bow loosely in her left hand.

Alex was as well equipped for warfare as she was. He was dressed in sturdy leather clothes, tunic, pants and boots, in shades of brown. Like Tara, he had shin guards and a breastplate, but his breastplate covered him from neck to waist, and he had a bracer on each wrist that was sturdier than hers as they were primarily for defence. He also wore a helmet which covered the back of his neck and had cheek plates on hinges to protect the side of his face. At his left hip was a pair of slightly curved sword, one longer than the other, that bore a resemblance to the Japanese Katana and Wakizashi, the paired swords of the Samurai.

"Come on, Love." Alex said. "Michael and Metatron are waiting."

Tara and Alex walked a few 'tents' over to find Michael and Metatron waiting. Michael, stocky and with a sever haircut, was dressed all in black with very similar armour to Alex, but he had a simple but effective short sword instead of Alex's paired swords. Metatron, looking older than the other three, was dressed in bone white and was armed with a two handed hammer. Alex, Michael and Metatron began discussing strategy but something was niggling at memory Tara's consciousness. She looked up and, purely on reflex, pulled an arrow from her quiver, knocked it, drew and released before what she was seeing even really registered. The Fallen Angel, circling above on reconnaissance, screamed as Tara's arrow ripped though his side and he pulled away from the loyalist camp, his wings flapping hard as three Loyalist Angels took to the air in pursuit. For a moment bit Wiccan Tara and Angel Tara felt a pang of guilt and sorrow, but then Angel Tara clamped down hard on it. This was war.

* * *

Tara jerked awake, feeling Willow snuggling against her side. After a few seconds Willow awoke too, staring up at her girlfriend as if at a lifeline. The entire gang had been barely hanging on in the last few weeks. Tara and, surprisingly, Xander seeming to be the ones handling the compiled loss the best. First Joyce, the woman who had been like a mother to the entire gang, had died from complications after surgery on a brain tumour, and then Buffy's sacrifice to save the world.

"Come on, baby." Tara said gently. "Let's go to the Magic Box."

Willow numbly nodded, her eyes still red from the bout of crying the previous night. Everyone was better when they were together. Ok, not better, but they coped more. After quickly getting dressed, Tara went out into the hall to wake Dawn. It was a bit weird, Willow and Tara having moved into the Summers house to take care of Dawn.

"Dawnie?" Tara said, opening the door to the younger girl's room.

Unlike Willow, who was almost constantly crying, Dawn had gone quiet after the death of her sister. For the normally almost hyperactive girl, that was quite concerning behaviour. Dawn slowly turned her head to look at Tara, a slight spark returning to her eyes when she registered the Wiccan's presence.

"Tara." Dawn said. "What's up?"

"We're heading into the Magic Box." Tara replied.

Dawn simply nodded her head and began to mechanically get dressed. It was not too long before the trio walked into the Magic Box. The rest were waiting there for them. Giles was at the table, absently reading one of the tomes. Anya was behind the counter, counting the money. Xander was standing by one of the shelves. Dawn was the first to enter and immediately went over to Xander, who gave her a hug. After the hug, Dawn went to the table and sat down next to Giles. By that time, Willow was half way to the table herself as Xander looked up and locked eyes with Tara.

The moment their eyes met, a million things went though Tara's mind. The images from the dream. Standing side by side with Alex on a river bank. Fighting back to back with Alex. Lying with Alex in bed with one bare leg thrown across his thighs. Faster and faster the images flowed, with only one constant, she was always with Alex.

Xander and Tara both dropped to the floor at the same time and were engulfed in a brilliant white light. The rest of the gang immediately moved to help but were stopped by a voice.

"I wouldn't touch them."

They turned to see a middle age man in a decent suit with a cocky looking smile on his face.

"Who the hell are you?" Dawn demanded.

"I am Metatron." The man announced.

"Good Lord." Giles exclaimed in shock. "The Voice."

"About bloody time. I mean two hundred years is a bit rich." The man muttered.

"Still in the dark here." Willow said. "What is happening."

"Two old friends are coming home." Metatron replied.

"Alex?" Tara's voice came from the ground, but it was different, full of confidence.

"I am here." Xander replied, again his voice more confident and, to the girls at least, sexier.

Tara and Xander's still glowing hands reached out to grab each other.

"I'm sorry, my friends." Metatron said. "But this bit's really going to hurt."

The scream that was ripped from Tara and Xander's throats was almost unbearable to listen to, as were the sounds of cracking bones and muscle and sinew being ripped apart and reformed. By the time the light faded, Anya had slipped below the counter and was shuddering, Dawn and Willow had vomited and Giles was a white as a sheet.

As Xander and Tara struggled to their feet, now with six and a half foot wings protruding from their backs, the entire group suddenly felt much better.

"I think some introductions are in order." Metatron said. "May I present Alex, the Angel of Loyalty and Tara, the Angel of Tenderness."

"Um… hi." Willow said with a shy wave, reactivating a very old reflex.

"Never change, Wills." Alex said. "Never change."

TBC…


	2. Chapter 2

Title: Angels on the Hellmouth Rewrite

Author: Knife Hand

Feedback: Constructive feedback appreciated, flames unappreciated

Spoilers: Fifth Series of Buffy, None for Dogma

Rating: R

Disclaimer: I do not own Buffy or Dogma. I would buy them but I am broke.

Summary: Everyone knows the Hellmouth is the playground for Vampires and Demons, but no one realised that there were a couple of real life Angels running around as well. Not even the Angels themselves.

A/N: While Metatron is played by Alan Rickman like in Dogma, I have used the movie Legion as the basis of the Michael character, as played by Paul Bettany. Michael is a much more… militant character than Metatron.

* * *

It was two am and both Alex and Tara were sitting on the roof of the Magic Box, staring up at the twinkling stars above. Tara was sitting between Alex's legs, leaning back against his chest while he had an arm wrapped around her midriff, his own back up against the small wall that cordoned off the flat roof.

Not much had happened with the group after their… re-emergence. Giles had been in awe of having met Metatron. Dawn and Willow were confused by what had happened. Anya was afraid the Angels were going to strike her down. On top of that the entire gang was trying to recover from the shock and blood curdling screams from the re-emergence. Giles had closed the shop, to everyone's surprise Anya had not objected, and everyone had gone their own way to process what had happened. Alex and Tara had come up to the roof and spent the time since merely watching the splendour of creation and trying to reconcile the short lives of Xander Harris and Tara Maclay with the eons of the Angelic Alex and Tara.

For Xander, his relation with Anya was always a conflicting mix of emotions that was more about not being alone than being with her specifically. Willow had given Xander a sister, Jessie had been a best friend, Giles a father figure to look up to, Buffy a hero to follow and a cause in trying to keep her safe. For Alex, Tara had always been his entire world, with only the Creator coming close to his affection for her and that was more a sense of duty to the Creator than the loving affection he held for Tara. Metatron had been a mentor, Michael a brother in arms. While the core of Alex had resided in Xander, the inability to turn away from a righteous fight, the mortal had none of the inner strength that personified the Angel of Loyalty. That pillar of strength that had helped shape the entire universe, and the depth of emotion that allowed Alex to empathise with the enemy and use that empathy to defeat them. For Xander it was black and white, for Alex it was endless shades of grey.

Tara the Witch had much more of Tara the Angel in her than Xander had Alex. It was Willow's emotional vulnerability that had drawn Mortal Tara's attention to her. With the harsh treatment that Mortal Tara had endured at the hands of men in home town, it was not surprising that Moral Tara had turned to women for relationships, but she still needed that close affection and tenderness. It was something that she needed at a basic level. Both Tara the Witch and Tara the Angel would prefer not to fight if the option was available, but Tara the Angel had long since learnt that one sometimes had to fight to protect what was most precious, something that Tara the Witch had only just started to learn.

Time passed, the stars moved in the heavens, and the two Angels simply sat and watched. Time had a different meaning to those who had been present at the creation of the universe.

* * *

The gang had regathered on the main floor of the Magic Box the next morning. Giles and Willow had been bombarding Alex and Tara with a million and one questions about History and Mythology, while Anya stood at the counter counting the money and Dawn was pretending to read while she watched the two Angels, seeing elements of her sister's friends mixed with something new and powerful, or more accurately old and powerful. The ring of the bell over the door caused everyone's attention to shift to the new entrant. Dressed all in black, including a long coat, with close cropped hair the new entrant looked like a warrior and he held a duffle bag in each hand.

"Michael!" both Alex and Tara exclaimed together as they stood from the table.

"Alex. Tara." Michael said curtly. "Brought your gear."

"Thank you, old friend." Alex said, clasping forearms with Michael.

Tara on the other hand gave him a hug and a quick kiss on the cheek. Taking a step back, she looked into his eyes, seeing frustration and resignation there.

"You're not going to be in on this, are you?" Tara asked.

"Not this time." Michael replied. "Creator's orders. She said that after the ceremony, you are on your own from our end. The Voice is out making the preparations."

Tara simply nodded before picking up the duffle Michael had placed at her feet and following Alex into the back room. With Giles and Willow having fallen into their own conversation, Michael moved over to the table and sat down next to Dawn.

"Hello. I'm Dawn Summers." Dawn said.

"Archangel Michael." Michael replied. "And we all know who you are, Dawn."

"Because of the Key thing?" Dawn asked, slightly deflated.

"No. That may be part of what you are, but it is not who you are." Michael replied. "We all know because of your actions on that tower, your willingness to sacrifice yourself for the world."

"How did you hear about that?" Dawn asked. "Only Buffy was there and I have not told anyone."

"But she did." Michael replied.

"She? You mean Buffy?" Dawn said in shock.

That got the attention of Giles and Willow.

"Yeah." Michael replied with a shrug. "She tells that tale anytime someone asks how she ended up upstairs. All the other Slayers are usually pretty jealous of how long she lasted as an active, but when she tells that one they think it is both incredibly heart-warming and so cool that you guys took on a Hell-God. Joyce is kind of relieved that Buffy has some other Slayers that she can hang out with and enjoys baking for their get togethers."

"Huh?" Willow said eloquently.

"You have actually seen Buffy?" Giles said. "And other Slayers?"

"Of course." Michael said. "I do live in Heaven you know, and Slayers are kind of like Celebrities for humans up there. Most humans need a full induction when they arrive, so they get the briefing on Slayers, Demons, The Fallen, the whole scene. We've actually got one of you Watchers doing the spiel now. Saves a fair bit of time that; you guys having most of the speech memorised before you come up."

"Do all Angels hang around with humans in Heaven?" Giles asked.

"No, some are too aloof, others just don't understand humans and others are jealous of humans. When God decreed Humans were his favoured, I was the first in all of Heaven to bow down before you."

"You beat me by half a millisecond and you still go on about it." Tara said, emerging from the back room. "And Alex was right behind us both."

Tara and Alex looked quite at ease and moved with a fluid gait as they re-entered the room. They were equipped for War, with their armour on, minus Alex's helmet, and weapons resting comfortably at their waists, with the exception of Tara's bow which was in a case on her back that rested between her wings without interfering with them. Tara's hand absently counted the number of arrows in the quiver on her right hip with the tips of the fingers of her right hand while her left hand adjusted on of the straps on her half breastplate. Alex, on the other hand, had a slight grin on his face while his left hand rested on the pommels of his paired swords.

"Did Metatron happen to mention when the Ceremony would be happening?" Alex asked. "Because I would not be surprised if Tara wants to take the girls out dress shopping before then."

Tara quickly cuffed Alex over the back of the head.

"I think it will be in one week." Michael replied. "But you'd have to confirm that with The Voice."

"Umm… what ceremony?" Willow asked.

"Our wedding." Alex replied.

"Oh." Willow said, blinking for a few seconds before passing out.

"She took that well." Alex said, earning a roll of the eyes from Tara.

"Does that mean we are breaking up?" Anya asked. "Do I get all the money?"

Giles pinched the bridge of his nose, Dawn buried her face in her palms and this time Alex rolled his eyes.

"Interesting Protectors you have chosen." Michael said.

TBC…


End file.
